build me up and tear me down
by Eris Acantha
Summary: 'It all begins at a construction site.' Molly-and-Lucy meet Lorcan-and-Ly; Crumple-Horned Snorkacks are mentioned, and 'with that small, nonsensical, extraordinary query', everything begins. LucyLorcan, MollyLysander. T for self-harm and anorexia.
1. Chapter 1

It all begins at a construction site.

It's hot, hot and summery, and even for the middle of August, Lucy finds herself wilting. She's much rather be having a popsicle than standing in the middle of some rubble with two silly boys and her even sillier sister. But the adults were being boring, and while Albus and Rose are over, they're still on the boring side (how sad; she had such high hopes for them, too) – all they want to do is play Hogwarts, and considering Lucy's going to be going there in less than a month… well, she wants to play something else while she can.

So when Molly suggests that they go out Exploring, well, it's Molly-and-Lucy as it always has been, she's nothing without Molly, and what can she do but say yes?

Sometimes she wonders to herself how anyone born to_ their_ Daddy could end up so rebellious. But then, that's Molly; "expectations are made to be broken, Luce!" she giggles, as they sneak through the gap in the Burrow's fence, and oh, how Lucy wishes she was more like her. Then they're tumbling down the hill, heels over head over heels, tangled together and laughing, Molly-and-Lucy forever and ever.

And there's no more time for deep thoughts because, Lucy can tell, Molly has an Idea.

.: :.

Ottery St. Catchpole is "_so_ close by, Luce, come on, don't be such a spoilsport," and Molly has decided that, as half-bloods themselves, they ought to see some Muggles. And not Muggleborns; no, Molly wants to see some real-live Muggles, in a Muggle town, oh so far away from home. Lucy can't help but think that this is the worst idea Molly's had in a while; worse even than the time she decided to turn the giant squid into her pet. (Dad got letters home about that one.)

But her hand is in Molly's and once Molly has decided on something… well, Voldemort (Uncle Harry has told them always to say the name) might have some luck in getting her to change her mind. Lucy certainly hasn't had any luck in all the eleven years they've been sisters. She thinks that perhaps those three extra years of just-Molly before Daddy and Mum thought to have her gave Molly that _something_ that Lucy lacks.

Molly thinks that perhaps Lucy _thinks_ too much. She says as much; then, with a voicing of her thoughts and tug on Lucy's hand, they're off.

.: :.

The sun's gone down a couple notches, and Lucy wishes she'd had time to read that Astronomy book Aunt Hermione gave her because if they're really truly lost –

Of course, then Molly spots something _exciting_, and they're changing direction. Again.

The closer they get to that clump of houses in the distance, the less complicated Lucy's thoughts become, until all she's left with is 'Merlin, _please_ let Daddy not find out about this.'

.: :.

By the time they get to wherever Molly's going, Lucy's out of breath. She doubles up, panting for breath; hardly even noticing that Molly doesn't flop down beside her. Only when her lungs are filled to what she considers the appropriate capacity does she look up at where they've ended up, and then her thoughts actually come tumbling out of her mouth, this time in a single word: '_Wow_.'

They're at the edge of a lot full of rubble and bricks and dust and metal tools (she remembers her Daddy using one of them – a _hummer_, she thinks in awe – to hang a Muggle painting last summer, but she can't see any paintings here). While she's trying to decide whether this almost-house is broken up on purpose or whether the Muggles are trying to put it together, Molly's already off exploring. "Hey Luce, come up here!" – "The view is fantastic, Luce," – "I'm sure the beams are sturdy; did you see the Keep Out sign back there? Wicked." It is this last statement that makes Lucy use her minimal authority as the 'voice of reason' to boss her sister down.

"Aw, Luce, it was so much fun up there!" Molly pouts and turns away. Of course she's going to make this difficult; three years means bossing, not being bossed.

'I'm sure it would have been just as much fun if you'd fallen and had to regrow your bones again' is what Lucy thinks but does not say; instead she offers a small, placating smile and is about to voice some words of comfort, when some boys pop out of the in-betweens at the very top of the almost-house – Lucy wonders how she hadn't noticed they were there – and interrupt her most rudely.

"Oi, you lot," shouts the one on the right – Lucy's just noticed they're twins; identical, from their pale blonde hair down to the No-Good grins they're sporting – "Have you seen a Crumple-Horned Snorkack 'round here?"

.: :.

And it is with that small, nonsensical, extraordinary query that everything begins.

.: :.

Lysander and Lorcan Scamander are identical twins in Molly's year; both Ravenclaws, though Lucy thinks (at least that first day) that they ought to be in Hufflepuff. They seem to know Albus and Rose and Dominique and Victoire and all the others, so Molly can't really figure out why they haven't met before; upon learning who their mother is, Lucy offers, "I don't think my daddy and your mum get along." Lysander nods in agreement, and Lucy knows he has understood her (what a wonderful feeling!), but Lorcan just looks perplexed at the notion that anyone could dislike his mother.

Lucy quickly begins to tell the Scamander twins apart.

They say their goodbyes at the end of the day; but though she tries to put it out of her mind, she can't help feeling that she's never going to get rid of these two.

.: :.

Sure enough, their August is spent in a flurry of Molly-and-Lucy, Lorcan-and-Ly, soon joined together in a long and complicated chain of four. It persists until Aunt Ginny shortens it, as she is wont to do, into a much better nickname for their group: the Scamander-Weasleys. And Lucy can't help but feel that even though every other Scamander-Weasley has three years on her, she fits right in.

* * *

**A/N: Chapter one of my first LilyLorcan fic! Reviews and criticism are welcomed. There are five chapters in total; I'll put a new chapter up weekly. Hope you like it!**

**xoxo, Eris**


	2. Chapter 2

King's Cross Station; Molly and Lucy are hovering about their parents, and while Molly is doing nothing more than soaking up as much parental affection as she can get, Lucy is clinging to the only faces she knows, before she's swept up into Sorting, Quidditch, House Cups, and desperate attempts to make new friends. She's not quite sure if the Scamander-Weasley clan will persist into her first year of Hogwarts; she'd like it to, but then, she'd also like her own owl, and Daddy has made it adamantly clear that that won't happen.

Then someone yells something about Nargles behind her, and she's turning, and two warm bodies slam into Molly-and-Lucy; of course, it's Lorcan-and-Ly, and then everything's all right again.

They get their own compartment on the train (the perks, she supposes, of being third-years), and they talk and laugh and eat and debate Lucy's Sorting and House placement. Molly wants her sister to join her in Gryffindor; Ly thinks she's more likely to be in Ravenclaw herself (he hasn't been able to un-notice her intelligence since they met for the very first time); but Lorcan – Lorcan turns and considers her gravely, studying her features, and she feels as though he's X-raying her insides (Aunt Hermione had taught her a bit more about Muggle things after they'd gone to the construction site).

And then he says the last thing anyone expects him to. "I reckon she'll be in Slytherin."

He says it in his usual dreamy way, but his blue eyes are clear, not cloudy, and unreadable. And as Lucy tries to see his thoughts as she can so clearly see Molly's and Ly's, and Molly gapes at Lorcan, and Ly looks thoughtfully at the pair of them – well, this is when things begin to shift.

The Hat spends a good seven minutes debating (mostly to itself – Lucy has never been able to speak up) between Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Ultimately, after a rather angry outburst on her part (fortunately thought rather than spoken), it places her in Slytherin. Lucy can't say she is surprised. After all, Lorcan told her – and it is with a sense of finality that she descends to the Slytherin table, amidst the first instance of dead silence in the Hall since 1923.

It is only when she goes to bed that night in her cold, unfamiliar dungeon dorm that she realizes – not even Lorcan clapped.

.: :.

As the only Slytherin Weasley, Lucy finds that she has gained a reputation that she is expected to uphold. Fortunately for her, she has never cared much about such things.

Once the initial shock and awkwardness pass, the Scamander-Weasleys are as tight-knit as ever; though it takes Lucy months to fully forgive them all. Even though she _did_ get put in Slytherin, she reckons they should have clapped. Not that anyone notices her attempts at passive-aggressiveness, but it makes her feel better in a petty sort of way, even if her 'revenge' extends only to casting tiny little charms to make their lives more difficult. At least, she thinks no one has noticed, until Lorcan corners her after Transfiguration one day.

"Quit it," he mutters. "Ly's getting suspicious about where his Quidditch jersey keeps disappearing to; he and Molly are dense, but they're third-years, and they'll wise up eventually."

She's so shocked that someone's noticed what she's been up to that she stammers out a promise.

He's on his merry way before she can think to ask, 'But Lorcan – how did you know?'


End file.
